


Science and flirting

by Shiba_K



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Flirting, Fluff, Friendship, No exploding nuclear reactors, Romance, Science
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:55:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23616331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shiba_K/pseuds/Shiba_K
Summary: Awkward flirting between scientists leads to an irritated Shcherbina who decides to push them in the right direction.
Relationships: Ulana Khomyuk & Valery Legasov, Ulana Khomyuk/Valery Legasov
Kudos: 15





	Science and flirting

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of HBO's Chernobyl. This fanfic was purely based on the fictional characters portrayed in those series. 
> 
> I wanted to write some fluff for Valery and Ulana since the cannot have a happy ending within canon. I imagine the three of them teaming up and going to investigate nuclear-related incidents.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Shcherbina watched only half listening to the two scientists bickering, his gaze shifting between them and the grey and barren landscape visible outside the window of the small office they were in.

Leaning back against the wall, he crossed his arms over his chest and sighed, wondering how much longer this would take. 

Khomyuk and Legasov had been running around in circles for the past ten minutes, both animatedly arguing their theories. Shcherbina suspected that both were actually enjoying this sparring match of wits and were still at it simply because of that. The long gazes shared from across the table were certainly hard to miss. 

Good for them, but Shcherbina knew that this was not getting them any closer to figuring out what had happened, nor to them getting out of this freezing hellhole. 

He made a low grumbling noise and pushed away from his spot. 

Legasov glanced at him, but his attention was soon returned to his colleague as she animatedly gestured to the calculations visible on the papers scattered on the table between them. 

_Damned scientist and their flirting_ , Shcherbina thought.

Legasov had better pull his head out of his ass soon and ask Khomyuk out or he was going to lock up them both up in this room while he went back to Moscow, investigation be damned. He observed them for a moment longer as an idea started to form in his head. What if he pushed things along a bit? Or better, what if someone else pushed things?

And he had the perfect person for the role. 

‘Boris?’ Legasov wondered as he saw the other man approaching. 

‘Are you two actually any closer to understanding how that explosion took place?’

Legasov and Khomyuk exchanged glances. 

‘We think we have a part figured out, yes,’ Legasov started to reply while reaching for the pack of cigarettes on the table and lighting one. 

‘But there are still several aspects that remain unclear at this point,’ Khomyuk continued, removing her reading glasses and neatly folding them. ‘We will need to start interviewing the soldiers on duty that night to be able to reconstruct the proper chain of events.’

Ah, finally something he could properly help out with instead of standing there and listen to these two argue numbers and formulas. 

‘I will ask the general to give me a list of the men on shift before and during the accident. We can start from there. Doctor Khomyuk can do the interviews.’ 

Shcherbina looked pointedly at her as he spoke. 

Ulana looked up a little startled, not having expected the older man to explicitly assign her this particular task. But she could already feel the excitement of gathering all the little pieces of the puzzle and turn them around until they finally fit together. 

She quickly nodded in agreement toward Shcherbina and began gathering some of her notes and carefully putting them in her briefcase. 

Legasov looked on, frowning, clearly about to argue when Shcherbina cut him off. 

‘I am still cleaning up the mess from when you told the deputy general exactly what you thought of his policy, Valery. You are not allowed to interview anyone lest you cause another diplomatic incident,’ he growled.

‘That was almost a year ago!’ 

Ulana looked down, unsuccessfully trying to hide a smile at the exchange, knowing that Valery was not always as diplomatic as the situation might call for. Especially when he was frustrated and being stonewalled. Although that she could understand very well as a fellow scientist and driven by the same passion for uncovering the truth. 

She glanced up and watched as Valery crossed his arms and mumbled something in reply to his friend, his cigarette dangling precariously from his lips. 

The sudden urge to reach out and squeeze Valery’s hand in a sign of support took her by surprise. 

Instead, Ulana gripped the leather handle of her briefcase tighter, afraid of what she might do otherwise. 

Maybe if they had been alone… 

Ulana stopped the thought before it could fully form, choosing instead to give Legasov a small smile of encouragement, aware of Shcherbina’s steel blue gaze observing their interactions from the other side of the table. 

The smile though had its desired effect: Legasov’s frown vanished while his posture relaxed a little. He even returned the gesture with a tiny smile of his own. 

‘Doctor Khomyuk.’

Shcherbina’s raspy voice startled her back to the present and away from Valery’s open gaze. 

‘If you would follow me? I will take you the General’s office to get you that list of people,’ he said while holding his hand up toward the door. 

It wasn’t unusual for Shcherbina to function as the liaison between the two scientists and the military personnel they often encountered during their investigations, but there was something about his request now that Ulana couldn’t quit put her finger on it. He seemed rather eager for her to follow him.

Nevertheless, they had a job to get done, so Ulana put aside the questions of Shcherbina’s behavior and slung her thick winter coat on her free arm, clutching her briefcase in her hand. 

She bid a quick goodbye to Valery and walked briskly out of their temporary office. 

Shcherbina waited until Ulana had passed him, then turned toward his friend giving him a pointed stare, before he too exited the room, leaving behind a very confused Legasov. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ulana’s and Shcherbina’s footsteps echoed loudly in the empty hallway as they made their way to the General’s office. They both seemed absorbed in their own thoughts, neither well enough acquainted yet with the other to attempt small talk. 

Which made it even more puzzling when Shcherbina suddenly broke the silence surrounding them.

‘Valera is an idiot.’

Both the suddenness and the statement itself bough Ulana to halt. Shcherbina, not immediately noticing that she had stopped, stopped a few paces away. 

‘What?’ Ulana frowned at the older man, unsure where this was going. 

‘Don’t get me wrong, Doctor, he is a science genius just like you, but still an idiot.’

‘And why do you think that, Deputy Chairman?’ Ulana asked carefully, whishing her hands were empty so she could cross her arms, ready to come to Valery’s defense. 

‘Boris, please. Nobody calls me by that title anymore.’

If she was surprised by the change in subject, she did not show it.

‘Then please call me Ulana,’ she replied after a moment, her tone softening, realizing that this was going to be a more personal conversation than any they had had so far. Such formalities did not have any place in this. 

Shcherbina cracked a smile, a silent acknowledgement of the shift in their relationship.

‘Well Boris, are you going to tell me why you think Valery is an idiot?’ Ulana questioned, returning to the matter at hand. She tilted her head sideways a little and readjusted the coat slung over her arm, studying Shcherbina. 

She knew that the two men shared a special bond. She had seen Shcherbina on more than one occasion act as a sort of older brother to Valery, even fussing over him, despite how much he liked to pretend to be this gruff and bearish person. 

Ulana knew that somehow this was probably to help Valery in some way, but Shcherbina’s next words still managed to leave her speechless. 

‘Valera is head over heels for you, and I think you feel the same way about him. And yet, he is sitting on his ass the entire time like an idiot instead of making his move,’ Shcherbina explained calmly, as if he was merely discussing the weather and not his friend’s love life.

Ulana’s blue eyes widened and she could feel the heat rising in her cheeks at the blunt words. 

Noticing her reaction, Shcherbina groaned. 

‘Please don’t tell you hadn’t noticed, Ulana. I don’t want to call you an idiot as well,’ he growled. 

Ulana straightened her spine and cleared her throat before responding, trying to will away the blush she knew was coloring her cheeks. 

‘I, well, yes, I had noticed that Valery might- you just took me a bit by surprise just now.’

Boris clapped his hands, grinning. 

‘Great, then this makes it a lot easier.’ 

Ulana hesitated, feeling a sense of unease at Boris’ eager tone. 

‘I’m sorry, what is easier?’

‘You are a dedicated and passionate scientist and do not stop until you find the answers you are after. I am sure you can make Valery finally get off his ass and do something about this thing between you two.’

‘I… am sure I can figure something out,’ Ulana replied, hesitating for only a second and trying to smother a laugh. 

Boris gave her a kind smile, pleased with her answer. 

‘Excellent. Now while you figure that part out, let’s go and get you that list of people to interview.’

Shcherbina turned and starting walking again in the direction of the general’s office, clearly pleased with the outcome of the conversation. Ulana watched his retreating back, bemused and not entirely sure what had just happened. 

With a shake of her head, she gathered her briefcase and coat and hurried to catch up with Shcherbina. They had a job to do first, this thing between her and Valery would have to come later. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------

Much later, when the sun had already set and the temperature outside had dropped to double digits below zero, Ulana made her way back to the office that had been assigned to them for the duration of their investigation. 

It had been a long day, Shcherbina had already retired to his room for the night, claiming that the cold was getting to his old bones and she too had to admit that she felt quite tired. But she wanted to start organizing her notes from the interviews before finally calling it a day. 

The light was still on in the room and Ulana was not at all surprised to find Valery still bent over the table, peering at nuclear powered engines schematics. 

‘Good evening, Valery,’ Ulana greeted gently as she entered the room. 

Valery startled a little at the unexpected greeting. 

‘Ulana,’ he spoke, eyes wide under those thick glasses of his, obviously surprised to see her. Though she could tell from the way the corners of his lips curled up slightly that it was a pleasant surprise. 

‘I did not think you would come back to the office today,’ Valery said, quickly standing up and moving toward her. 

He took her briefcase from her, setting it on the floor beside them and helped her slip out of her coat, even as she protested that there was no need for him to get up and help her. He just shrugged, giving her a half smile. He didn’t mind. 

It had become a kind of ritual for them: her coming back late from whatever digging she had been doing, and him waiting for her in their shared office, wherever they were, taking her coat and bag, almost as if she was coming home, to him. 

It screamed of a kind of intimate domesticity that Ulana had refused to acknowledge in the past. 

Now though, Shcherbina’s words from earlier that day danced around in her head and combined with the kindness and affection she saw in Valery’s blue eyes, they made it impossible to ignore the warm feeling of happiness and belonging his gestures evoked. 

Before Valery could return to his seat, Ulana reached out to take his hand. His eyebrows rose in bewilderment, eyes darting between her face and their hands. 

‘Boris told me something interesting today.’ 

He swallowed, frowning, suddenly afraid of what kind of secrets Shcherbina had spilled in his absence. Especially those that would make Ulana grab his hand and stare at him with that intense blue gaze of hers. 

‘Please don’t believe everything that comes out of Boris’ mouth,’ Valery pleaded, squeezing Ulana’s hand, ‘he is a politician and likes to exaggerate.’

Ulana laughed, happy and freely, gazing at him with a deep affection that made his heart pick up pace and his hands sweaty. 

‘He told me that you are “head over heels” for me, so I am hoping that this time he wasn’t exaggerating,’ she said gently, feeling a tiny flutter of hope in her chest that she was indeed not the only one with feelings that went beyond mere friendship.

Valery cleared his throat and let his gaze drop to their hands as he felt the hot flush of embarrassment spread from his face to his neck. He would have to have a serious talk with his friend tomorrow.

‘Was he?’

His head shot up at the quietly murmured question. He tried to answer, but his voice failed him, and he could only shake his head in reply.

‘Good,’ smiled Ulana, sighing at the rush of relief at his answer. 

‘It is?’ Valery wondered out loud, finally finding his voice. 

He cringed at how squeaky he sounded: not the best impression to make on the woman who now knew that you were crazy about her. 

Instead of replying out loud, Ulana, with a sudden burst of courage, quickly closed the gap between them and gave Valery a brief kiss on his lips before stepping back. 

She suppressed a giggle at Valery’s dumbfounded expression as he stood there with his mouth slightly open and wide blue eyes looking at her in bewilderment. 

He blinked a few times, as if to try and figure out if the kiss had really happened or not, but the tingling sensation in his lips and the warmth in Ulana’s eyes as she watched him were very real and not a figment of his imagination. 

His eyes asked her a silent question to which she nodded in reply, a shy smile he had never seen before lighting up her face. 

It was enough to make him surge forward, letting go of her hand in favor of cupping her face to kiss her with enthusiasm. 

Ulana laughed against his lips and brought her hands up to his waist, gripping the fabric of his shirt to hold him as close as possible as they exchanged light kisses for several moments. 

When they broke apart, Valery pressed their foreheads together, not quite ready to break their newfound closeness. 

‘I owe Boris for this, don’t I?’ he wondered. 

Ulana nodded. 

‘He called you an idiot for wasting time and not making your move.’

Valery groaned, that sounded more like the Boris he knew. 

‘He is probably right, and you must think I’m an idiot too for having needed to knock some sense into me,’ he looked away, cringing. 

‘I think the world of you, Valera,’ Ulana whispered without hesitation, lifting his chin up to catch is gaze. 

Shit, how the hell had he managed to find such an amazing woman Valery did not know. She managed to stir an amount of different emotions in him that he had no idea how to put into words. 

So, he kissed her. 

But they quickly jumped apart when they heard a booming voice behind them. 

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake!’

Both turned to see a disgruntled Shcherbina glaring at them from the open doorway. 

‘Boris, what are you doing here? I thought you had retired for the night,’ Ulana was the first to recover. 

‘I was, but then I figured you two might end up working through the entire night, so I thought I’d come and drag your asses out of here. But instead, I find you two necking,’ he growled, almost enjoying the way the other two squirmed under his glare. 

Valery shook his head at his friend but did step away from Ulana to gather his things and parka, while Shcherbina and Ulana exchanged a look. He gave her an imperceptible smile in acknowledgement of their previous conversation. 

Valery, ignorant of the silent communication, came over to them, holding Ulana’s coat in one hand and their briefcases in the other. 

Shcherbina gave them both a look with eyebrows raised that Ulana pointedly ignored, turning to thank Valery for the coat. 

Shaking his head Shcherbina kicked them out of the office, making sure to lock the door behind him. He watched the two scientists walk down the corridor, bumping hips and rolled his eyes. He started after them, muttering something about babysitting and science idiots. 

_Fin_


End file.
